


good love, your whole life

by ohprongs



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec waxing poetic about Magnus, Attempt at Humor, Bad Jokes, Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Magic, Potion-Maker Magnus, Slice of Life, these boys are in love y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-04-03 21:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14004900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohprongs/pseuds/ohprongs
Summary: Alec dips in and out of the book, sipping at his tea. Various sounds take his attention - Magnus’ quiet humming, the clink of a spoon against china as Magnus stirs his own cup of tea, the storm rumbling on outside. Alec’s eyes drift from from the words on the page in front of him to the assortment of wonders in the room, Magnus the very best of them.Alec watches him with a smile, marvelling at how lucky he is to have someone like Magnus Bane in his life.“I can feel you staring, Alexander.”“I can’t help it,” Alec replies.(or, a fic about magnus and alec and magic)





	good love, your whole life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [softmagnusbane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/softmagnusbane/gifts).
  * Inspired by [sleep in my arms](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9094690) by [softmagnusbane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/softmagnusbane/pseuds/softmagnusbane). 



> happy birthday [jay](http://lesbarton.tumblr.com)!! it doesn’t feel like a whole year has gone by. i know you’ve had a lot of ups and downs, so i hope this is a lil treat!! i love u <3
> 
> i stole this prompt (“i need an entire fic series dedicated to alec slowly learning about magic and potions and magnus being to excited to teach him and tell him all about inventing the portal”) from [edin](http://itsragnorfell.tumblr.com), who was inspired by a line in a fic by jay, so there’s really nothing original here. it’s not quite an entire fic series, but i hope u both enjoy it!! 
> 
> big thanks to [pat](http://maghnvsbane.tumblr.com) for helping me work out the plot, to [jule](http://highwarlockofhell.tumblr.com) for cheerleading, to [mel](http://maiababerts.tumblr.com) for suggesting the cat's name and to [elle](http://alecsimon.tumblr.com) for beta reading. i love u all v much <3
> 
> title from _heart on my sleeve_ by mary lambert

Lightning splits the skyline over New York City, forks of light splayed in the distance across a rumbling, violet sky. There’s not been a storm like this in weeks; rain falls in heavy globules from black clouds, hitting the ground in pellets.

The loft wraps Alec in warmth as he pads towards the balcony doors to peel them open just a crack, enough to let some air in — he’s always loved the smell of rain. The gap isn’t enough to satisfy the small black cat winding around his ankles, meowing pitifully at him until he opens the door wider so she can get outside.

Cleocatra, who’d eagerly trotted over when she saw Alec heading to the door, promptly high tails it back inside as soon as she realises it’s tipping it down. Alec chuckles and leaves the door ajar, gathering the cat in his arms and soothing her with low murmurs and kisses.

He takes her through to the kitchen. While he waits for water to boil to make a pot of tea, Alec puts some food in her bowl, then finds Magnus’ favourite mug from the cupboard and puts it onto a tray. Alec gets everything ready and picks up the tray to take it through to the study, unsurprised when Cleo fusses around his legs and walks with him, rubbing her head against his ankles.

The two part ways in the hall. Cleo meanders towards Magnus and Alec’s bedroom, where Alec knows they will find her curled at the foot of their king-sized bed later that night, and Alec himself knocks on the open door of Magnus’ study. Magnus glances up from the potion he’s working on, furrowed brow smoothing, eyes crinkling behind his glasses.

“Come and sit with me,” is all he says, with a vague gesture to one of the leather club chairs. Alec enters the study, agilely skirting round a pile of books in ancient languages with some parchment and a quill resting on top and placing the tray down in a free space on the workbench. Alec pours tea for them both, at which Magnus sends him a soft smile, and then makes himself comfortable in one of the chairs.

He loves Magnus’ study. It’s full of sights and smells — aged, yellowing paper and dusty, leather-bound books, the spices in Magnus’ onyx mortar and pestle, the smoke from the flames under the cauldron — that are familiar to him by now, but he still doesn’t really _know_ about them. He wants to. He wants to learn — not just because of the magic itself, but because of how intrinsic it is to Magnus and his life.

While Magnus potters about his workbench, diligently cutting ingredients with the engraved silver potions knife Alec had bought him, Alec picks up one of the books he’s been reading about demon summonings in the 18th through 20th centuries, thumbing carefully through the delicate pages until he finds his spot. With one hand wrapped around his cup of tea and the other holding the book, he lets himself relax back into the chair.

Alec dips in and out of the book, sipping at his tea. Various sounds take his attention - Magnus’ quiet humming, the clink of a spoon against china as Magnus stirs his own cup of tea, the storm rumbling on outside. Alec’s eyes drift from from the words on the page in front of him to the assortment of wonders in the room, Magnus the very best of them.

After a while longer, there’s a muted pop as Magnus uncorks a small tear-drop shaped vial. He holds it steady, carefully decanting the potion he’s been making into the tiny vial with a practiced hand.

Alec watches him with a smile, marvelling at how lucky he is to have someone like Magnus Bane in his life.

“I can feel you staring, Alexander,” Magnus reprimands, though the way his lips curve around the words belies no true irritation.

“I can’t help it,” Alec replies, and he’s partly teasing but mostly not. It’s truly no fault of his own that Magnus draws his attention whenever they’re in a room together; Magnus is beautiful, luminous, and honestly the most attractive man Alec’s ever laid eyes on.

It goes beyond that, though. Alec’s in awe of Magnus’ kindness and compassion, his sharp wit and intelligence, the raw power at his fingertips. He wants to learn everything he can about this man and love him through all of it.

Magnus sends him a look of fondness mixed with a spark of heat. Alec shrugs lopsidedly and sets the book down, wandering over to stand behind Magnus.

He hooks his chin over Magnus’ shoulder and loosely entwines his hands around Magnus’ waist. “What were you making?”

“It’s a tincture,” Magnus tells him. He nods sideways at the potions book on the workbench; Alec peers over at it to see a page scrawled with small black letters in a language he doesn’t recognise.

Magnus finishes transferring the liquid to the vial and replaces the stopper, leaving the vial propped up in a little stand. He runs a painted fingernail down the potions book, muttering the instructions under his breath. He doesn’t seem to think it’s a big deal, effortlessly switching between languages, but Alec finds himself getting a little hot under the collar at how damn _proficient_ Magnus is at basically everything he does.

Magnus hums, satisfied, and waves his hand to shut off the flames under the cauldron. “It needs to rest for half an hour before I add the final ingredient,” he says, turning in Alec’s arms and then pressing a kiss to his lips. “Shall we sit?”

Alec kisses him again, gently cupping Magnus’ chin with his fingers. They trade soft kisses for a moment, before Magnus entwines his fingers in Alec’s and leads him to the chair Alec just vacated.

Magnus sinks into it with a grateful sigh, closing his eyes. Alec watches him, feeling himself smile before he can stop it.

“What’s the final ingredient?” Alec asks. There’s not really enough room for both of them in the chair, so when Alec sits down he ends up half sitting in Magnus’ lap. From the way Magnus’ arm snakes around his waist and holds him close, he doesn’t think it’s an issue.

“Unicorn tears,” Magnus says. His face gives nothing away when Alec peers up at him, but he has a sneaking suspicion he’s being teased.

“Of course,” he says flatly. “Where do you get unicorn tears from?”

“Well, first you have to find one,” Magnus says, slowly blinking his eyes open, his voice taking on the gravitas of a seasoned storyteller. “Unicorns are skittish creatures - you have to show them they can trust you. Once you can get close to it, you must show it respect. Then, most importantly, you have to tell it a really sad story.”

There’s a moment of silence in which the pair of them stare at each other, then Alec can’t help laughing even as he groans. _“Magnus.”_

It’s not a lie to say that Magnus laughing is possibly the best thing Alec’s heard ever. Alec buries his face in Magnus’ shoulder, the two of them chuckling helplessly.

“I buy them from a warlock in the Bronx,” Magnus says, once he’s stopped laughing. His fingers tease at Alec’s hair. “One of the oldest warlocks I’ve ever met.”

“Do you get a lot of potions ingredients from them?” Alec asks, nestling his head against Magnus’ shoulder.

“You’re full of questions tonight,” Magnus comments, fingers stilling in Alec’s hair. There’s something in his tone Alec can’t quite work out and he can feel that Magnus has gone a little tense, so he lifts his head to look at him.

“Sorry,” he says. “I’m not trying to pry.” His smooths the pad of his thumb idly over one of the gold buttons on Magnus’ shirt. “I’m just curious.”

Magnus is looking down at him like he’s saying something remarkable, his face soft and unguarded. He doesn’t say anything, though, and Alec’s brain interprets that as a signal to ramble on.

“It’s - it’s a huge part of your life. It’s important to you, so I want to learn about it. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Alec clears his throat when the silence ticks on for a beat. Magnus is still just watching him. He shifts a little, starting up playing with Alec’s hair again, then speaks, low and gentle.

“I want to.”

Any tension in Magnus’ body has gone and he pulls Alec closer to him; Alec can feel himself relax at the fact that Magnus is comfortable with carrying on the conversation. He tucks his head back under Magnus’ chin and hums.

Cuddling Magnus is one of Alec’s favourite things to do, especially surrounded by the warmth of Magnus’ study with the rain pouring down outside. He lets himself be lulled into contentment by the soothing timbre of Magnus’ voice as he tells Alec about how he mastered potion-making, studied from older, more experienced warlock tutors, consumed knowledge from old tomes in the Spiral Labyrinth.

A lot of it was practice, he says, recounting one memorable potions experiment that had left Ragnor without eyebrows for five and a half months. He talks about how he’d discovered potions were most potent when paired with magic, which leads Alec to ask him about all the kinds of magic he’s tried over the centuries.

“Some I’ve...dabbled in,” Magnus says, sounding somewhat amused. “Others are, of course, my stock in trade, as you know - demon summonings, protection spells, healing spells, memory magic, warlock tracking. Dimensional magic is one of my favourites. When you’re immortal, you can’t linger on the _what ifs_ , but I can’t help finding that there's a certain romantic appeal to knowing how my life would be in other dimensions.” He stops, glancing down at Alec with an unbearably tender smile. “If I would have met you.”

“You would have,” Alec says at once, knowing it with complete certainty. “We always find our way back to each other.”

Magnus kisses him at that, soft and barely there, but sparks still shoot down Alec’s spine at the touch anyway.

“What else?” Magnus asks contemplatively, when he pulls away and settles back against the chair. “Hm, battle spells. Hell mist is very efficient, but it takes a lot of energy.”

Alec blinks twice and has to swallow before he can speak again, mouth going dry just at the thought of all the power Magnus wields. “You can conjure hell mist?”

Magnus shrugs, his free hand playing with his earcuff. “I suppose they tell you lots of horror stories about it at the academy?”

Alec hums. “I guess. It’s just - very impressive.”

“Thank you,” Magnus says, after a pause, sounding a little bemused. He runs his fingers across Alec’s scalp, presses a kiss to his forehead. “Oh, and portals, too.”

Alec remembers the first time he stepped through a portal. He’d just turned nine and was allowed to accompany his mother on a trip to Idris for the first time in an official capacity, rather than just being with her because he needed to be looked after. He’d sat in a stuffy hall, pulling his too tight shirt collar away from his neck, the toes of his shoes barely brushing the ground because of the tall chair he was sat on.

The Consul’s father had droned on about something or other; Alec had tried to pay attention, he really had, especially under his mother’s hawk-like gaze. But council meetings were so much more fun when it was him leading them and the council members were Izzy and their toys.

After the meeting, he was trotted out and introduced to various old Shadowhunters on the council, shaking their hands even when he wanted to hide behind his mother’s legs and let the scent of her hair comfort him. He’d not done that for years, told he was too old for hugs, but he wished for it all the same.

When they finally went home - because for Alec, the New York Institute, with the hiding places he knew in the corridors and the familiar clack of keyboards in the Ops Center and, more than anything, Isabelle, _was_ home - they travelled via portal. It wasn’t so bad the second time - that morning, on the way out, Alec had thought he was going to be sick. Coming home, he stumbled a little as they stepped out, but his mother’s firm grip on his shoulder kept him steady.

Magnus had made that all possible. Decades - over a _century_ \- earlier, his dedication to his work, his determination, his cleverness, had led to a revolution in the entire Shadow World. Alec doesn’t know anyone who’s never portal travelled, whether they’re a Downworlder or Shadowhunter; it’s such an intrinsic part of their way of life, and it’s all thanks to Magnus.

He’s incredible.

“You, uh,” Alec says, aiming to sound completely casual, “invented them, right?”

He doesn’t know why he frames it as a question, because they both know it’s true. Magnus, of course, sees right through him.

“I did,” he says, with no small amount of amusement. “Though I have a feeling you knew that already.”

“Maybe I just like reminding my boyfriend of his many achievements,” Alec says, smiling.

“This better not be leading into a comment on my age,” Magnus says. The offence in his tone is mitigated by the way he preens at Alec’s compliment and the beaming smile on his face, and Alec can’t help but laugh.

They share gentle lazy kisses for a few minutes, Magnus’ fingers tugging gently on Alec’s hair as Alec cups Magnus’ face. Magnus eventually pulls away, then presses his lips to Alec’s in a parting kiss. He looks at Alec, tilting his head to the side.

“Would you like to see?”

“See what?” Alec asks, a little dazed from still feeling the ghost of Magnus’ lips against his own.

“Stand up,” Magnus urges. Even though Alec was all kinds of comfy curled up in the chair with Magnus, his curiosity gets the better of him and he does as he's told.

Magnus moves them once they’re both up and stands across from him, taking both of Alec’s hands in his.

“What are you doing?” Alec asks. Magnus rests his palms against Alec’s, drawing in a deep breath.

“I thought you might want to see for yourself.”

Alec blinks, the realisation dawning. He grins, feeling his cheeks grow warm, though he’s far from embarrassed. “You’ve used your magic on me before.”

Magnus laughs, a happy, melodic sound. “I want to show you how it feels to _use_ magic, not have it used _on_ you,” he clarifies.

“Oh.” Alec suddenly feels very humbled, and he takes a moment to study Magnus’ face for any sign that he’s just doing this for Alec’s sake.

“I want to share this with you,” Magnus says, expression growing sincere. When Alec nods, he continues, “Close your eyes, Alexander.”

Alec does.

At first it doesn’t feel any different: the warmth of Magnus’ skin against his is familiar by now. But then it spreads, past where their hands are physically touching, comforting and all encompassing.

It’s like sinking into a warm bath at the end of a long day. Alec cracks one eye open, half expecting to see himself enveloped in the beautiful blue of Magnus’ magic, but he doesn’t look any different.

“Magic is elemental,” Magnus explains. “It will react to sudden outbursts of emotion, but measuring your breathing and channelling your energy gives you most control.”

Alec takes a couple of deep breaths and centres himself, the way he does before he shoots the first arrow at target practice.

After a charged moment, he snaps his fingers. Blue sparks fall in a shower from his fingertips at the same time as a fork of lightning splits the sky outside. Alec definitely does not jump.

“Shit,” he laughs. “That wasn’t me, was it?”

Magnus laughs, not unkindly. “I think weather-altering magic is more my domain, sweetheart,” he says. Then he adds, “Though I’m sure you’d be able to do it too if you had my powers.”

“That’s -” Alec’s voice comes out a little strangled and he clears his throat. “That’s, uh. Wow.”

Magnus smiles knowingly at him and takes a step forward. A loud crack of thunder rumbles right overhead when he moves closer to kiss Alec, and Alec would almost be worried that the loft was in danger if a) he didn’t have the ultimate faith in Magnus’ wards and b) he had the space of mind to worry about little things like the world falling down around them when Magnus was kissing him like that.

“Thank you for sharing that with me,” Alec murmurs after a moment, against Magnus’ lips.

Magnus kisses him again. “You’re very welcome.” He slowly disentangles himself from Alec, patting his chest, right over his heart, before stepping away to the workbench.

Alec had completely forgotten Magnus was making a potion in the first place, but he feels it’s not fair to blame him when he has Magnus in front of him as a distraction. While Magnus is occupied with adding the unicorn tears to the tincture - Alec watches with unbridled interest - Cleocatra darts around the study door and mewls at Alec’s feet until he picks her up.

He crosses to the workbench so she can see, too. When Magnus is done, he straightens up, cracking his back with a relieved groan.

“No rest for the wicked,” he quips, lips quirking upwards.

Alec rolls his eyes, smiling fondly. Magnus turns and catches sight of Cleo in Alec’s arms, his face lighting up.

“Hello, baby,” he coos, scratching behind her ears. She tosses her head regally and nuzzles against his hand.

Alec idly wonders whether she knows she’s got them both wrapped around her little finger. Or - well. Paw.

“Are you done for the night?” Alec asks, trying to not let too much worry bleed into his tone. Magnus’ work hours are unconventional, to say the least, and it wouldn’t be the first time that Magnus has still had a long night ahead of him, even as Alec’s turning in.

Magnus glances outside to the black sky, rain still thudding onto the roof of the loft, then back to Alec and the cat in his arms.

“I think I am,” he says, catching Alec around the waist and pulling them flush against each other. Cleo protests a little at being squished, but seems to be placated a moment later by Magnus’ petting. “A night on the couch in front of the TV with you? I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.”

And as they leave the study together, Alec decides there is also nowhere he’d rather be than right here with Magnus.

**Author's Note:**

> im on [tumblr](http://katlisha.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/lukegarroways_)!!


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